Top Athens attorney gunned down in office

The two perpetrators rang the bell of Mihalis Zarefonoulos's office at 154, Asklepios Street at 19:10.

According to some reports, the perpetrators spoke in Greek. The door, as all evidence so far shows, was opened by Michalis Zafiropoulos himself.

The Athenian-Macedonian Agency (APE-MPA), citing police sources of Attica Security, reported that an associate of the unfortunate lawyer, told the authorities that he had an appointment with two clients.

The lawyer and his partner led the two perpetratorss to the meeting room, where they sat down to discuss a case.

But then one of the men asked Michalis Zafiropoulos' associate to leave them alone for a while, so he went to the next office.

A few minutes later, he heard the shots and ran to see what had happened.

He found the lawyer dead at the meeting table - with some information stating that he had received one shot to the head and another to the abdomen - and then, called the police in a state of shock.

Immediately members of the crimes against life squad arrived on scene in order to identify any evidence - fingerprints, genetic material, testimonies - and to check security cameras in the area. At the law firm's office, a forensic doctor arrived, to carry out a preliminary autopsy.

The fact that the perpetrators had an appointment with the lawyer is expected to turn the investigation towards Michael Zafiropoulos' agenda.

The Mich. Zafeiropoulos is very close to the junction with Alexandras Avenue, while at a very short distance is the home of the former President of the Republic, Karolos Papoulias.

He mainly dealt with financial crime cases

Michalis Zafeiropoulos was the son of the former New Democracy MP and former President of the Athens Bar Association, Nontas Zafiropoulos, who died in 2006.

He was primarily involved in financial crimes, including the Energa scandal, while he was an advocate of businessman Thomas Liakounakos, who was accused of bribing G. Spokos and A. Tsohatzopoulos for a deal concerning the purchase of AEW aircraft.

The 52-year-old lawyer - married and father of two children - was a very active trade unionist and regularly ran for bar offices.